Gibson Les Paul (R7, R8, R9 or a Custom) vs PRS with Stoptail (Mccarty/Tremonti)

[mermer]

Hi all! I am curios about what you think and your experiences:

I am searching for another guitar to mainly use in Drop C#/C hard rock / metal. I was considering another Les Paul (already have a custom, would like to have a goldtop) but a couple weeks ago I tried a used McCarty (with stoptail and 25” scale length, not a 594) and really liked it. It was very resonant, light weight easy to play and sounded great even though the pickups are a bit bland for my taste. I was there to test a DGT but the winner of the day was that McCarty for me (I prefer stoptail guitars in general, already have a strat for trem). Since them I am searching online for stoptail Tremonti’s and McCarty’s but there are not many in EU. I did not own a PRS before but I feel that one of these models can definetely do the job, maybe even better than a Les Paul due to 25” scale length.

So I am open to hearing your thoughts and experinces, how would you compare your Les Paul’s with your PRS’s in that scenario, etc.

Thanks in advance!

 

[cardinal]

If you liked how it sounded and played, then that's really all there is to it. Drop tuned PRS guitars were a huge thing in the early 2000s.

Different from an LP but at the end of the day, they'll all get the job done.

 

[ChurchHill]

Not really sure I could compare them; they're just two different things. Both will definitely work for what you're looking for.

As cardinal says, if you liked how it plays, that's all that really matters. If you didn't like the pickups, those are easy to change.

FWIW, the McCarty is my favorite PRS. There's just something more immediate about the wrap tail.

 

[DanTravis62]

Not really comparable between a PRS and a Les Paul - different lanes

If you dug the PRS then that's all there is to it, man. Depending on the model you might need to change the pickups, but if it's a newer one the stock PRS pickups are actually quite good

 

[mermer]

FWIW, the McCarty is my favorite PRS. There's just something more immediate about the wrap tail.

Exactly, I did not even know that there are two McCarty models with longer scale and stoptail. Even with this lack of knowledge, I immediately felt that guitar has more “zing” and better attack. Then after doing some research I learned that it’s a different model.

Still, I am not sure if it’s just a ‘gas’. I know that finding a les paul that does the thing for you might be tricky, I played a bunch before finding mine. So not sure if I go on that route again, or just try the PRS out.

 

[mermer]

Not really comparable between a PRS and a Les Paul - different lanes

If you dug the PRS then that's all there is to it, man. Depending on the model you might need to change the pickups, but if it's a newer one the stock PRS pickups are actually quite good

It was a 2021 model, with 58/15 LT. I might prefer a bit more push but they might perform good in downtuned setting. But as you said this can be solved.

 

[ChurchHill]

In my case, I like both. A good LP is a great thing, but so is a good McCarty. They are very different, but I think that's a good thing. I find that I play differently on different instruments, and I think that helps me expand my ability, or at least I find the difference enjoyable. I have a CU24, too, and I even with the 25" scale, it's not as immediate as my McCarty. The McCarty is a more aggressive guitar, if there is such a thing, just feels faster, more responsive.

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

I had a 2020 Lea Paul Standard 60's and a 2020 McCarty 594 at the same time and they were far more similar than different. Both great guitars but the Quality of the PRS was a different level. Bith sounded really similar with the PRS having a little more output. Loved both and sold them when I bought my house ij my gear purge.

 

[ChurchHill]

Yeah, those 594s are nice, too, and much more similar to an LP. The regular McCartys are more like a CU22 with a wrap tail.

 

[War_in_D]

I've had both the 594 and the regular McCarty, both Core models. I didn't get along with the 594's vintage pattern neck carve, and ended up returning it (GC purchase). The regular McCarty was OK, but to me the McCarty pickups are/were the best part of it. Other than that, it's just a Custom 22 with vintage tuners, etc. but I ended up selling it to a guy here locally. When I had my Cornford up for sale/trade, I got a trade offer on another drop dead gorgeous 594 10-top and took it, thinking I'd give it another shot and if I didn't like it, it would be a lot easier to ship than a half stack.

At first, I wasn't really jiving with it, but the more I play it, the more it's growing on me. This one has the funky asymmetrical pattern vintage neck carve like the first one, but doesn't feel as thick front to back and the guitar unplugged is just so "alive" and plays like a dream. Jury is still out on the 58/15 TCI pickups though, I may have to look into swapping those. I've got a set of uncovered Tonenerd Whiskeys with gold pole pieces that would fit quite nicely with the hybrid hardware on the 594.

 

[HowieJams]

I am a Les Paul guy, at one time I had 4 PRS Custom 24s, but as great a guitar as they are, they don't sound like a Les Paul which is the tone I love.
For the type of music you are playing I would suggest you look at a PRS Custom 24 with the HFS and Vintage Bass pickups.
I like stoptails also, but the PRS Custom 24 plays like a stoptail even though it has a trem.

Just make sure you get the Neck carve you like, Regular, Wide Thin or Wide Fat.
Wide Thin was my favorite.

 

[mermer]

In my case, I like both. A good LP is a great thing, but so is a good McCarty. They are very different, but I think that's a good thing. I find that I play differently on different instruments, and I think that helps me expand my ability, or at least I find the difference enjoyable. I have a CU24, too, and I even with the 25" scale, it's not as immediate as my McCarty. The McCarty is a more aggressive guitar, if there is such a thing, just feels faster, more responsive.

Definetely different guitars make you, or force you a bit to play different which is part of the experience. I am just not sure if I would get the same growl that I get a Les Paul with a PRS. But I think there is only one way to find out…

 

[mermer]

I had a 2020 Lea Paul Standard 60's and a 2020 McCarty 594 at the same time and they were far more similar than different. Both great guitars but the Quality of the PRS was a different level. Bith sounded really similar with the PRS having a little more output. Loved both and sold them when I bought my house ij my gear purge.

Yes I would also expect them to be similar. I think between these two models it’s more of a design taste. PRS is fancier and Les Paul is more classic

 

[mermer]

I've had both the 594 and the regular McCarty, both Core models. I didn't get along with the 594's vintage pattern neck carve, and ended up returning it (GC purchase). The regular McCarty was OK, but to me the McCarty pickups are/were the best part of it. Other than that, it's just a Custom 22 with vintage tuners, etc. but I ended up selling it to a guy here locally. When I had my Cornford up for sale/trade, I got a trade offer on another drop dead gorgeous 594 10-top and took it, thinking I'd give it another shot and if I didn't like it, it would be a lot easier to ship than a half stack.

At first, I wasn't really jiving with it, but the more I play it, the more it's growing on me. This one has the funky asymmetrical pattern vintage neck carve like the first one, but doesn't feel as thick front to back and the guitar unplugged is just so "alive" and plays like a dream. Jury is still out on the 58/15 TCI pickups though, I may have to look into swapping those. I've got a set of uncovered Tonenerd Whiskeys with gold pole pieces that would fit quite nicely with the hybrid hardware on the 594.

From my side the trem and stoptail feels totally different. At least when I compared McCarty woth DGT, DGT felt like a strat with set neck body and McCarty felt like a hybrid of a Tele and a Les Paul, being lighter weight with a wider neck

 

[mermer]

I am a Les Paul guy, at one time I had 4 PRS Custom 24s, but as great a guitar as they are, they don't sound like a Les Paul which is the tone I love.
For the type of music you are playing I would suggest you look at a PRS Custom 24 with the HFS and Vintage Bass pickups.
I like stoptails also, but the PRS Custom 24 plays like a stoptail even though it has a trem.

Just make sure you get the Neck carve you like, Regular, Wide Thin or Wide Fat.
Wide Thin was my favorite.

I will definetely try a Custom 24 as well. Thanks. Great videos by the way!

 

[HowieJams]

I will definetely try a Custom 24 as well. Thanks. Great videos by the way!

Thanks...

Here is a video I found from a while back comparing a Les Paul Standard 50s and a PRS Custom 24, there is also an Ibanez Prestige in there, the Ibanez for $1599 new was a great guitar and it was a stoptail.

 

[War_in_D]

From my side the trem and stoptail feels totally different. At least when I compared McCarty woth DGT, DGT felt like a strat with set neck body and McCarty felt like a hybrid of a Tele and a Les Paul, being lighter weight with a wider neck

The 594 is the closest thing to the LP, with a stop tail/TOM type bridge, the selector switch on the upper horn and the two volume/two tone setup. It's basically a Les Paul for folks that don't want a Gibson. I can get along with a PRS trem, but prefer their hard tail offerings more. I'm also more of a 22 fret kind of guy, so there's that.

 

[ChurchHill]

Definetely different guitars make you, or force you a bit to play different which is part of the experience. I am just not sure if I would get the same growl that I get a Les Paul with a PRS. But I think there is only one way to find out…

They do sound different, but that's not a bad thing. Nothing quite has the growl of an LP. As War_in_D says, the 594 is closer to an LP than the McCarty, but the feel's different being a little softer on the shorter scale. It's not a huge difference, but noticeable to me.

I'd give the pickups a chance, some people really like them. For me, they didn't have enough push. I ended up swapping them for BKP Rebel Yells, gave it more of the bite and the growl of an LP. I've got a set in an LPC, too, and really like them. I've also had good luck with BKP Crawlers in PRS; they're a little smoother in the mids but still have good cut.

I'd go play the McCarty again and if it speaks to you, they're great guitars.

 

[mermer]

They do sound different, but that's not a bad thing. Nothing quite has the growl of an LP. As War_in_D says, the 594 is closer to an LP than the McCarty, but the feel's different being a little softer on the shorter scale. It's not a huge difference, but noticeable to me.

I'd give the pickups a chance, some people really like them. For me, they didn't have enough push. I ended up swapping them for BKP Rebel Yells, gave it more of the bite and the growl of an LP. I've got a set in an LPC, too, and really like them. I've also had good luck with BKP Crawlers in PRS; they're a little smoother in the mids but still have good cut.

I'd go play the McCarty again and if it speaks to you, they're great guitars.

I have been curious about BKP Polymath’s, they might be a good match with the McCarty. As far as I know the bridge sounds a bit dark while the neck is sweet. They would match good with the bright McCarty, also splitted bridge would be interesting.



It would be similar to the guitar in the video, except the rosewood / ebony board. Eddie also has some other videos with this guitar, sounds very very good actually and quite

 

[ChurchHill]

I've never tried the Polymaths but can't think of a reason they wouldn't be a good fit. The vid sounds great as do the clips on BKPs site.